4 Reasons Why the HTC ThunderBolt ICS Update Could Be Late

Over the past few weeks, many HTC ThunderBolt owners have asked me a similar question: When do you think HTC will release the HTC ThunderBolt Ice Cream Sandwich update? And while I wish I knew the exact answer, I don’t. However, I do have my intuition (it’s not made by LG) and my gut tells me that HTC is going to miss tomorrow’s deadline and release the update in September.

There are four reasons for that feeling but I’ll get to those in a second. First, some background.

I wasn’t the least bit surprised that HTC announced ICS for the HTC ThunderBolt earlier this year, though I suspect it probably did so with some reluctance given how old and buggy the device is. I think it was probably too difficult for HTC and Verizon to simply ignore the pleas and questions from all the people that bought into the ThunderBolt in 2011.

I wouldn’t be surprised if HTC released the ThunderBolt update in September.

Advertisement

Many have sworn off HTC and Verizon after their experiences with the ThunderBolt and I can’t imagine how many more would do the same if the ThunderBolt never got a single major Android update.

I’ll say this though. I was a little surprised that HTC and Verizon decided to put themselves into a box with a release window for the ThunderBolt Ice Cream Sandwich update. I always thought that they would promise it but leave the date open-ended, like what Motorola and Verizon unintentionally did with the Droid Bionic.

Instead, they decided to tell ThunderBolt owners that July or August would be the release month for the ICS update. And from here, that’s looking like a poor decision.

It’s clear that HTC has its hands full. It promised all ICS upgrades by the end of August and thus far, Droid Incredible 2 owners, HTC Desire S owners and HTC ThunderBolt owners remain without the update with less than 48 hours to go.

Advertisement

And while it’s possible that HTC will roll out not one, not two, but three Ice Cream Sandwich updates tomorrow, my feeling is that the HTC ThunderBolt update and maybe the others too, will miss the deadline and will roll out next month.

Four reasons for this.

1. HTC and Verizon completely missed the July upgrade window for the HTC Rezound and then pretended as if nothing happened when it released the software in early August instead. It’s clear that neither company has any problem breaking update promises.

2. HTC’s Facebook account has stopped telling ThunderBolt owners that August is still in the cards. Instead, it has been extremely vague about the update’s arrival.

3. Verizon’s website remains without an HTC ThunderBolt ICS update changelog, something that is usually posted ahead of a widespread roll out.

4. Verizon may have learned that hitting the deadline for the sake of hitting the deadline probably isn’t as smart as it sounds. The Droid RAZR and Droid RAZR MAXX updates were released on the last day of their promised update window and both pieces of software are plagued with bugs. So, it’s possible that HTC and Verizon want to avoid something similar. (The HTC Rezound update was smooth, from what I can tell.)

The HTC ThunderBolt doesn’t have the kind of hardware the Droid RAZR and Droid RAZR MAXX have either. And furthermore, I’ve heard from ThunderBolt owners who have installed the ICS ROM and have experienced a lot of sluggishness, likely do to HTC Sense.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that the HTC ThunderBolt update won’t roll out tomorrow, but I would be shocked to see a full-on widespread roll out take place tomorrow.

Instead, I suspect either that there will be an announced roll out that will act as a soak test (like the HTC Rezound update) or September 21st will come and go without an update.

HTC and Verizon should just give it up. My Thunderbolt finally works “relatively” well. I really don’t want it broken again by an “update”. Verizon should give all Thunderbolt owners an extra $50 towards their next phone.

I think they should have been working on the update for a while instead of screwing around with trying to get people on the shared data plan. Ever time the tweet something about and upgrade I call them out of their page or on twiter. Does it do anything to them no but sometimes I do get a response. 2 Days ago I out something on THC’s website and they responded with it is coming. As soon as my contract up I think I will start looking for a new call phone company.

I’ve been using the leaked rom since it came out. Tons of bugs. I think this plays into the delay a great deal. Honestly, given the performance of the leak, I think HTC and Verizon will probably cancel the update all together. Something to think about. This would be one of the few, if not the only (I can’t think of another) device with a single core running ICS. I’m doubting the hardware can handle it.

Its not HTC fault that we dont have an update as of right now. Im sure the update has not come down because of Verizon and the boatware they think we need. I heard with the new ICS the wifi thering cant be locked down yet. Good news for us bad for Verizon. I use Foxfi now and love using the bluetooth option to get what I want done. I will stay with HTC as the Thunderbolt has been a solid hardware only software problems.

Fuck HTC. Fuck Verizon. Fuck Adam Mills. This whole thing is a raw deal and Adam Mills has generated a SHIT TON of traffic to this page because he knows how to write the same story over and over, but give it a new title each time. Give up Adam, go make meth with Walter White because we all know you are Jesse Pinkman.

My only problem with this whole thing is that we’ve been lied to before by both HTC and Verizon. So the fact that this announcement (probably the last major announcement regarding the TBolt before everyone becomes eligible for a new upgrade) was another lie is really the straw that broke the camels back. I simply cannot believe that HTC and Verizon care so little for customer support that they are simply ignoring the questions and complaints of Thunderbolt owners.

I mean WHAT THE FUCK!?? You can’t say that you will deliver a major update by a certain date, and then NOT do anything or say anything as your self imposed release date comes and goes! I simply WILL NEVER buy an HTC phone again, and I will undoubtedly spread the word that HTC and Verizon cannot do anything right together as far as their customers satisfaction are concerned.

I agree, Adam is a terrible writer and one of the negative so called writers all around. I am due to upgrade on Novemver 17th myself, goodbye Thunderbolt and HTC. I’m not sure why people are balming Verizon for this but I also understand their new plans suck but, that doesn’t have anything to do with this so-called recent update,

I just received the Nexus 7 and now realize that I don’t need a data plan. I’m thinking of just a plain phone and the Nexus 7. Don’t really use data on the road that much and there is WiFi everywhere. I have JB and a super fast device free of all the problems that phone gave me.

Never another htc product! Plus finished with verizon as soon as contract is up. I have to have wi-fi service to use the phone anyway because verizons 3g sucks so bad. It’s really stupid to pay for a internet service to be able to use your “smartphone” for which you have to pay an extra $30 for each phone a month. So, going to get a 7″ tablet & just a pay as u go old flip phone just for calls & texting. Htc & verizon can kiss my ass.

As soon as my contract is up Verizon is gone. Not being able to upgrade my Bolt means I cannot even get a got price on a sales. HTC they will go the way of PALM.
Neither company deserve your business nor your friendship on Facebook. CUT them loose.

If a company cannot upgrade the software is close to a year do you really want to continue a business relationship with them?
They want you into a 2 year contract and then screw you.
Verizon new plans pay more for less. Give it up. They a holding bandwidth from the public in favor or profits corporate BS at its best.

Same boat… same story… I bought Thunderbolt the day it came out. Total regret! Goodbye to HTC and to Verizon. I have until the middle of next year as I upgraded my kids’ phones, but as soon as I don’t have to pay a termination fee (or when the $$ saved make up the difference), Verizon will see that I am leaving too…

I am very disappointed in HTC and Verizon. I bought my Thunderbolt in Aug 2011 to use on Verizon and all it seems to do now is drop calls and drop internet, sometimes I get a text to go out too. Also bought the extended Best Buy 170.00 warranty and Best Buy took my money and won’t do good at giving me a new phone, they want to play resetting the phone wiping it and than maybe they can spread out the time to steal my warranty Geek money and give me nothing…Starting to think Straight Talk might be better since Consumer Reports says them and Trac Phone have pretty good feed back from their readers

Read a lot of comments about HTC and how negative the company is. Personally, I think HTC isn’t the only company that sucks. Motorola is just as bad. I got a Motorola Droid x2 last year. It comes with a dual core processor. That said, I found out that Motorola decided not to even do a ICS update on the phone. When I wrote them and expressed my displeasure, they said some crap like. “No we plan on releasing ICS”. I did some more checking and it wasn’t true. So, if you hate HTC and plan on changing, who will you go with? They’re all bad.